Disappearing bed.



J. C. & H. W. BEACH.

DlSAPPEARlNG BED.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1914.

Patented June 5, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES:

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JOHN C. BEAQH AND HENRY W. BEACH, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS TO LACHMAN WALL BED COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A COR- PORA'IION OF CALIFORNIA.

DISAPPEARING BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN C. BEACH and HENRY /V. BnAoH, citizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of- San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Disappearing Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in disappearing beds, and is an improvement on the type of bed which is the subject matter of a prior application, filed December 22, 1913, Serial No. 808,133.

Our present invention has for its object to provide a cabinet, recess or closure into which may be tiltably folded a full-length bed, the closure or cabinet having a relatively stationary member, and movable members, which when moved relatively to the stationary part, provide an aperture or opening through which the bed frame may move from and to vertical and horizontal positions.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a wall or disappearing bed which may be moved to a vertical position into a recess or closet of minimum depth, and particularly to provide a novel, practicable, substantial, easily operated and safe means for supporting and moving the bed from one position to another.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide in combination with a tiltable bed having a detachable mattress, a simple and practicable means for connecting the mattress to the bed frame so as to hold the mattress against the springs of the bed frame when the same is in vertical position, and avoid the use of any means pressing upon the top surface of the mattress, and which would be visible when the bed is adjusted in horizontal position and the mattress exposed.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in combination with a tiltable bed frame, a supporting and moving carrier therefor, and to provide said carrier with endless, self-laying tracks for the purpose of avoiding the marking or tracking of the carpet or other surface on the floor over which the movable member or carrier may be operated.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a novel supporting and operating means for a movable bed frame, whereby the latter may be actuated with but a comparatively small degree of exertion on the part of the operator; and to provide in combination with said actuating means and the bed frame, devices for assisting in the movement of, the bed frame and for the further purpose of cushioning or yieldably seating the frame in any vertical position and eliminating noises due to shocks incurred during the movement of one member with relation to the others.

The invention consists in the combination with a relatively stationary closet structure, open at one side, of a bed frame and its springs and their mattress supported thereon, a traveling carrier and flexible connections between said barrier and the bed frame for controlling and supporting the same during movement, and a relatively stationary journal or supporting member to which the bed is connected by a link member, so that the bed frame is movable about two pivots during its change of position.

The invention further consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described, having reference to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a vertical, transverse section through the structure, showing the bed frame and its connected members in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the lower end of the bed when in vertical position, resting upon the bumper.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of one corner of the carrier, showing the truck wheels and their mounting in detail.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of a mattress fastener.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the bed frame in horizontal position showing a portion of the recess and the carrier in section.

Fig. 6 is a detail view, showing the headboard hook and the mattress fastener.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the upper portion of the structure, showing a counter-balancing means for the vertically disappear ing mirror.

Fig. 8 shows a modified form of bumper.

it 2 is shown a cabinet or a closet in a instance, with a mirror 6; the frame5 be ing counter-balanced by suitable means, shown as springs 7, one of which is provided on each. opposite vertical edge of the frame. The springs 7 are connected to gears-8, tur-nably mounted in suitable casings '9, which gears mesh with racks 10, mounted upon the edges of the frame; the tendency of the springs being jointly to lift theframe vertically to uncover the closet opening and expose the bed twhen in its vertical position. A suitable latch 11 is pro-v vided to 'control the-movement of the mirror frame 5.

The lower part of the opening into the closet'2 is covered by a movable cabinet structure 12, which may be, a useful article of furniture, here'utilized as a carrier moved outwardly away from the closet 2 on suitable rollers 13 which are here shown as arranged in pairs, the rollers in each pair being in a common plane, and upon each pair of'the rollers is mounted a respective endless belt 14, which is adapted to run upon the fioor or other surfaces, such as'a carpet; the function of the belts 1% being to operate as self-laying tracks, the lower parts of which bear relatively stationary upon the carpet or other surfaces of the floor, while the rollers 13 in the belts 1 1 revolve.

For the purposeof readily adjusting the pairs of rollers to suit the angle ofthe floor over which they may operate, the pairs of rollers are here shown as j ournaled in suitable truck frames 15, each of which comprisesa back or frictionvplate 16, having at its upper portion a curved slot 17, struck in an are from a pivot bolt 18, which projects through the stationary plate 19. This plate 19 is provided with a vertical slot or slots 20, to receive the bolt 18, and also an upper fastening bolt 21, which latter projects through theslotsl? and 20. The bolts 18 and- 21- when loose, permit the angular 'ad j ustment of the truck 15 with relation to the vertical carrier 12, and when the proper adwhich'in turn is pivoted at 26 to a convenient portion 27' of the carrier 12. The pairs of knuckle-jointed links 22 extend parallel with the bed rails, and when the bed frame is in its horizontal position the end adjacent to. the carrier12 rests upon suitable supports or stops 28, conveniently mounted in the carrier-.12.

The opposite end of the bed frame is provided on each side with journal members 30, to which are pivotally connected at 31 substantial links 32, which extend parallel with the rails of'the bed frame, and are pivoted at 33 upon substantial journal brackets or floor stands 34L; these being securely fastened to the floor at a location as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, somewhat in front of the closet structure or recess with the pivots 33 in axial alinement. The links 32, adjacent their pivots 33, are provided with upstanding shoulders 32, engageable by the bed rails.

-When the bed is to be moved fromhorizontal to vertical position the operator lifts the outer end of the bed until the-pivots 23 of the links 22 swing above the plane of the pivots 2426; whereupon the carrier is forced inward by the operator, said carrier acting through the'links 22 to tilt the bed frame upwardly to the position indicated in dotted lines, at a, Fig. 5. The movement of the bed frame up to this indicated position being a tilting one, the saidframe swinging about the pivots 33 at the top of the floor stands 31 and the links 32 swinging downwardly in an are about said pivots. As the V bed'frame assumes a position about45 from the horizontal, its inner or closet end, which is provided in thepresent case with a substantial counter-weight 35 of sheet-iron of suitable length, width and thickness to give the desired counter-balancing effect, moves into engagement-with substantial leaf-springs 36, which are secured at one end to atransverse base-board 37 upon which the floor-stands 34 may be mounted. As the bed frame at swings. upwardly from A5 position the springs 36serve to check the movement of the bed frame as it tends to swing about the pivots 33 and counteract the tendency of the bed, frame to swing too rapidly and violently as it approaches the vertical, thus con trolling the movement of the bed frame so that it comes to an easy stop.

As the bed frame moves upwardly from the 15 position, more or less, it swings away from the inclinedlinks 32 into the vertical position shown in Fig. 1, the movement being as shown in the dotted, line I),

- Fig. 5. V

For further aiding the movement checking effect of the, bed frame passing upwardly from 45, position, there is provided a yieldable bumper or cushion of suitable type which is hereshown as a leaf-spring 38, Fig. 2, which is suitably mounted or secured in or upon the floor, although as stated, it is understood that any suitable type of bumper may be employed, as a yieldable plunger 38, Fig, 8.

When the bed is in the vertical position the bumper 38 and the springs 36 cotiperate to yieldably support the frame and also act to throw the bed forwardly to assist in the tilting action of the frame about the pivots 31 of the links 32 as the carrier 12 is moved away from the closet or recess.

For the purpose of controlling the move ment of the bed frame from the vertical position to the angle of approximately 45 at which it will come into contact with the links 32, there are provided spring check members 40 which are so connected and positioned as to be interposed between the bed frame and the said links.

For convenience, the springs 40 are shown as having one end of each secured in the journal members of the bed frame, and as curved as represented in Fig. 1, so as normally to spring away from the bed frame, and as the latter tilts on its pivots 31, the free ends of the springs engage the adjacent surface of the inclined links 32 and during the further movement from the vertical of the bed frame the springs 40 act as resilient checks controlling its movement. The springs, when the bed frame is in horizontal position, are compressed and lie between the bed rails 4 and the links 32; they operate during the tilting movement of the bed frame from the vertical to resist such movement; then, after the bed frame has been swung to such an angle as to become approximately parallel with links 32, the continued movement of the frame causes the links 82 and the bed frame which then rests upon the shoulders 32 to swing together from a position approximating about the pivots 33 of the links 32 until the bed is horizontal.

After the bed frame 4 has been lifted from a horizontal position to a position approximately 45 by the movement of the carrier 12 toward the recess or closet structure, then the check springs react on the bed frame to tilt the latter about the pivots 31 of the links :1 32 after the latter have come to a stop in the position indicated in Fig. 1. The movement of the bed frame 4, as before stated, upwardly from the 45 position, is controlled and checked first by the engagement of the weight 35 with the stop-springs 36, and subsequently by the co-action therewith of the bumper 38.

The head and foot ends of the bed structure are provided with foldably mounted head and foot-boards 4l-42, rendered automatic to fold to a perpendicular position by spring hinges 43; the inner end of the headboard 41 being automatically folded over the mattress of the bed as the bed is moved to a vertical position by engaging wall-strips 44. The foot-board 42 is latched in folded position over the mattress 45 by a suitable link 46, which is pivoted at one end of the foot-boar d 42 and is adapted to hook over a pin 47 on a rigid part of the bed frame; the latch 46 is released to permit the footboard 42 to spring to a perpendicular position, and when the bed is horizontal and the foot-board 42 released, the latter swings upwardly beneath a suitable stop 48 secured upon a convenient portion of the carrier 12. This stop cotiperates with the foot-board 42 to prevent accidental upward movement of the bed by locking said bed in horizontal position until the foot-board 42 is folded downwardly over the mattress and latched by the devices 46. Thereafter, the bed frame can be tilted upwardly.

It is desirable to provide in combination with a bed frame, which is tiltable from a horizontal to a vertical position, a simple, inexpensive, practicable and invisible means for fastening the mattress 45 to the bed frame 4, so as to effectually hold the mattress without creasing or rumpling when it is in the vertical position; and we have successfully devised and utilized a suitable clevice, illustrated in Fig. 4, as comprising a strap 50, with hooks 51 at each end; the hook at one end being engageable with a substantial gromet 52, and the hook on the opposite end being passed through a perforation 53 formed. in the flange of the bed frame 4; there being provided as many of the strap hangers as there are respective gromets 52 in the mattress 45, as is necessary for the purpose. This means of fastening the mattress to the bed frame 4 eliminates any use of belts or straps transversely crossing the top surface of the mattress, which belts or straps rapidly wear the material of the mattress, making deep creases in the same, and are very objectionable on account of their conspicuousness.

To prevent the bed frame 4 from dropping too rapidly to the horizontal position as it is being drawn downwardly by the outward movement of the carrier 12, there is provided, attached to the latter, a leaf-spring 55, the free end of which projects into the path of movement of the outer end of the bed frame 4, and is engaged as the latter swings into horizontal position; the pressure of the spring 55 being suflicient to check the tendency of the bed frame to increase its speed as-it approaches the horizontal and yet not offer too much resistance to the lifting of the foot end of the bed upwardly.

The purpose of the knuckle-jointed links 2225 is to provide means to prevent the tendency of the links 22, as the bed frame swings upwardly, from lifting the carrier 12; this being effected by the short links 25 of each of the knuckle-jointed links swinging about the pivots 26 and resting when thebedis in itsvertical and horizontal positions upon the supporting shelf 27. 1 When the bed is tilted to the vertical positionthe movable panel or closure member 5 is turned down so as to rest upon the adjacent top portion of the carrier 12; the latter having been moved into close proximity to the front of the pilasters 3. The said panel is temporarily locked to the adjacent top of the carrier 12, so as to prevent itfrom moving outward by any suitable form of stop or latch comprising a projection 56, secured to the top member of the carrier 12 and entering a keeper 57, attached to the bottom portion of the panel. 7

There may be provided, if desired, a further means for controlling the tilting of the bed, which is shown as a coil spring 58, connected at one end to the end of the bed adjacent to the closet, and at the other end to a stationary member, as to the board 37; the

function of the spring 58 being to prevent the too rapid falling movement of the bed;

and when the spring 58 is utilized the check spring 55 on the carrier 12 may be elimi nated. I

It is very desirable that good ventilation of concealed beds be had, and this is obtained 1 in this structure by the free draft of air permitted to flow in beneath the bottom edge of the carrier 12 and then out through the opening, at the top of the closet, through which pivoted at one end of each to said journals,

springs disposed so as to be operative as a check to the downward movement of the links, a bed frame pivotally connected at one end to the swinging ends of the links,

and springs interposed between said links and the frame reactively operative upon said frame as it tilts from the vertical toward the links. r

2. The combination in a tiltable bed structure, of a pair of spaced fixed journals,

links pivoted at one end of each to said ournals, springs disposed so as to be operative as a check to the downward movement of the links, a bed frame pivotally connected at one end to the swinging ends of the links, means reactively operative upon said frame as it tilts fro-1n the vertical toward the links, and a control spring, attached at one endto saidbed and at its other to a fixed part, for governing the movement of the bed as 1t approaches the horizontal' 3. The combination with a bed frame, of

relatively stationary brackets, links fulcrumed on said brackets and pivotally connected at their swinging ends to the adjacentend of the bed frame, and a movable carrier connected tosaid bed frame, whereby when the carrier is moved horizontally away from said brackets,'the bedciframe is tilted from averticalposition: to a horizontal position with, a preliminary tilting movement at its point ofpivotal connection tov said links and with a subsequent movement coordinate with theilinks about; thefulcra of the latter on the brackets.

41. The combination with a bed frame, of relatively stationary brackets, links .fulcrumedon said brackets and, pivotally connected at their swinging ends tothe adjacent end ofthe bed frame, and a movable carrier connected to; said bed frame, whereby when the carrier is moved horizontally away from said brackets, the bed frame is tilted from a vertical'positionto a horizon tal position with a preliminary tilting movement at its point of pivotal connection to said links and with a subsequent movement coordinate with the links about the fulcra of the latter on thebrackets, the bed frame being supported when in horizontal position by said. brackets and'said carrier,

5. The combination with. a bed frame, of relatively stationary brackets, links fulcrumed on, said brackets and pivotally con nected at their swinging ends to the adjacent end of the bed frame, and a movable carrier connected to said bed frame, whereby when the carrier is moved horizontally away from said brackets, the bed frame is tilted from a vertical position to a horizontal position with a preliminary tilting movement at its point of pivotal connection to said links and with a subsequent movement coordinate with the links about the fulcra of the latter on the brackets,the bed frame being supported in a horizontal position by said'brackets and said carrier, the connection between the carrier and the bed frame consisting of knuckle-jointed links pivotally related at their ends'to the respective parts.

6. The combination with a bed frame, of relatively stationary brackets, links fulcrumed on said brackets and pivotally connected at their swinging ends to the adjacent end of the bed frame, a movable carrier connected to said bed frame, whereby when the carrier is moved horizontally away from said brackets the bed frame'is tilted from a vertical position to a horizontal position with a preliminary tilting movement at its point of pivotal connection to said links and with a subsequent movement coordinate with the links about the fulcra of the latter on the brackets, and means interposed between the bed frame and said links for checking and controlling the tilting movement of the bed frame from its vertical position, and reacting upon the bed frame to tend tomove the 'same toward the vertical position.

i 7 A disappearing bed structure comprising a relatively stationary closet with movable cooperating closures on one side, which when moved relatively to the closet provide an opening, a bed frame movable through said opening, fixed brackets, links fulcrumed upon said brackets and pivotally connected to the adjacent end of the bed frame, said frame being connected to one of said closures, whereby when that closure is moved horizontally away from said brackets, said frame is tilted from a vertical position within the closet to a horizontal position, with an initial independent movement about its point of pivotal connection to the links and a subsequent movement to a horizontal position with the links, means for checking the movement of the bed frame as it approaches the vertical and for assisting in its movement from the vertical, and a device for controlling the speed of movement of the bed frame from the vertical, said device arranged to become inoperative when the bed frame and said links swing together about the bearings to a horizontal position.

8. In a tiltable bed structure, a stand, a bed, and means to movably connect one end of the bed to the stand, said means when the bed is horizontal extending rearwardly and horizontally from the stand so as to be interposed between the bed and stand and to form a seat on which the bed rests and when the bed is vertical extending rearwardly of the stand and downwardly be tween the bed and stand.

9. In a tiltable bed structure, a stand, a bed, and a link pivoted to the stand and to the head end of the bed whereby to allow the bed and link to move to the rear of the stand and means whereby when the bed is horizontal the latter will seat on the link directly above the pivot between the stand and link.

10. In a tiltable bed structure, a stand, a bed, a link pivoted to the top of the stand and extending rearwardly of the latter and pivoted to an end of the bed, and spring means interposed between the link and bed for cushioning the latter in moving the bed from vertical to horizontal position.

11. In a tiltable bed structure, a bed, means to movably mount one end of the bed, a carrier, means to movably connect the other end of the bed to the carrier, and cushioning means borne by the carrier to resist the downward movement of said other end of the bed, said cushioning means allowing said other bed end to pass the same to permit the said other bed end to be solidly supported by the carrier.

12. In a tiltable bed structure, a stand, abed, and means pivoted to the stand and bed to movably connect the stand and bed, said means providing a seat for the bed when the latter is horizontal, which seat is located at a point directly above the pivot between the bed and stand so as to throw the weight of the bed in a direct vertical line onto the stand.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN c. BEACH. HENRY w. enacn.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. I-IERRING, W. W. HEALEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

